Examines the relationship among demographic factors, employment interview communication patterns, and employment interview outcomes. Finds that gender and race factors had no direct impact on interview outcomes (ratings and referrals) nor did these factors indirectly affect outcomes through communication patterns. (SR)

Reports on a study investigating employees' motives (pleasure, affection, escape, relaxation, control, inclusion, and duty) for communication with coworkers or superiors and their satisfaction with work, satisfaction with superiors, and commitment. Notes differences between females and males among the numerous motives for communication under…

Reviews and integrates 113 empirical studies on performance appraisals that were published between 1980 and 1990 in business, communication, and psychology journals. Finds that organizations use collaborative and traditional instruments to evaluate employees; raters' training is essential; multiple raters are more effective than single raters;…

Presents results of a survey examining women's reported styles of interpersonal communication, including use of tentative language, interruption, and collaboration. Reveals that, in the technical/scientific field, women's and men's perceptions of their own communication seem to be moving toward and androgenous language pattern. (SR)

The fundamental principles of Keiretsu, a Japanese style of business alliance, were used to create a training partnership model that outlines a plan for implementation and a structure for monitoring. Discussion includes training program needs, purposes of learning in professional development programs, reasons for cooperative training, and the…

Analyzes the history of the Freedom of Information Act business exemption, the reasoning in the federal appellate case "Critical Mass III," and the aftermath of the case in federal courts. Explores its implications for public relations practitioners who may be seeking information about other businesses or trying to maintain…

Presents a case study of the changing organizational climate of an administrative unit of a large nonfederal government following election of a new chief elective official. Finds new categories of climate: theme emergence, spread, and sedimentation. Finds a complex organizational climate with several processes interacting simultaneously to…

Focuses on organizational communication and compares results with previous peer rankings. Finds support for the notion that a correlation exists between the publication rates of individuals and institutions in communication journals and the impression of quality by peers in the field. (RS)

Reports on a study which examined communication patterns of three related professional groups--editors, book reviewers, and scholars of children's literature. Findings are presented on the boundary-spanning communication structure and its formal and informal components, differences between the professions, differences between central and…

Shows how two "meanings" from the "Challenger" disaster can be examined in a technical writing class to illustrate the social contingency of meaning even in science and technology. (SR)

Proposes a new field called polycultural organizational communication, which would encompass theorizing and research involving organizations in both international and domestic settings in which cultural differences operate (multicultural settings). Delineates the need for the field, its potential contributions in theory and practice, and issues to…

Argues that organizations routinely engage in values advocacy (the appeal to shared cultural values) to perform three distinct functions: (1) to enhance the organization's image; (2) to deflect criticism of the organization and/or its policies, products, and services; and (3) to establish value premises that can be used in later discourse. (SR)

Finds that more argument and less verbal aggression were observed in constructive as compared to destructive disagreements regardless of context; more verbal aggression was reported in family as compared to organizational disagreements; and participants, when compared to observers, perceived the most argument and verbal aggression. (SR)

Identifies the types of uncertainty new hires experience. Documents newcomers' information-seeking strategy preferences and target reliance patterns for coping with different forms of uncertainty. Examines 200 new hires' narratives. Finds that new hire information target preferences were influenced by type of uncertainty. Suggests broadening the…

Argues that, when technical publications and technical training departments work together, writers learn from trainers about the users, trainers get help in producing training materials, users get integrated training and technical manuals, and the company displays a unified approach. (SR)